Stand Ready
March 9, 2025
The gospel of peace is the great instrument by which God works the will and heart of man into readiness and preparation to do or suffer what He calls to.
Luke 1:17 He is the One who will go before the Lord with the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous and to prepare the people to be ready for the Lord.
Stand ready for God's service no matter the cost. Preparation for the Gospel is preparation for suffering.
Gospel peace works so mightily that it makes me glory in tribulations. I must be prepared to face any trial and be ready to face the trouble that might come.
The peace that the gospel brings and speaks to the heart will prepare it to wade through any trial or trouble that meets a believer in his path.
- Readiness = A Heart full of Grace.
- Readiness = freedom from materialism, reputation, and pleasure. Freedom of spirit breaks all those chains and brings the Christian out of every kind of bondage.
- Readiness = Service One cannot serve if he is unprepared to suffer reproach, contempt, or persecution. Confessing God if we are unwilling to lay everything at His fee does not do any good. Neither is it worthwhile to set out with Christ unless we mean to complete the journey with Him and not turn back because of a tempest. Romans 1:15-16 That is why I am so eager to proclaim the gospel to you who live in Rome too, for I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is God's power for the salvation of everyone who believes, of the Jew first and of the Greek.
- Readiness=True enjoyment of life.
- Absence of fear - Where fear is, there is always torment. By meditating on miseries, a man kills himself a thousand times over as often as the fear of death steals into his mind. When a person is finally brought to the foot of God and can earnestly surrender: Lord, here I am, ready to give you all I am and have; my will shall be done when your will has been done in me. Psalm 23: Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me.
- Readiness to Suffer - Strive to enter, fight, and wrestle, risk life and limb rather than fall short of heaven. Many shall seek but are not able to because they seek a cheap religion through an easy profession. Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the one who brings news of peace announces good things, announces salvation, and says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
The gospel of peace proclaims freedom to those bound with fears and besetting sins. Let those weary and heavy laden under the burden of sin, find relief in Jesus, shake themselves from the dust of their doubts and fear, and loose themselves from the shackles that bind them. The price paid by the Redeemer for our salvation was not silver or gold or corruptible things but His precious blood. Seek victory over every sin. Desire holiness for the glory of God, who freely gives salvation and sets us free. Put on your shoes of peace and walk through this life prepared.
A Christian rules his life with an excellent spirit if he chooses to face up to and endure unpleasant experiences rather than avoid or escape them.